Aeroplane air-ship.



F. A. NBWELL. ABBOPLANE AIR SHIP.

APF

Patented July 20. 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PfA. NEWELL, AEROPLANE AIR SHIP. APPLIOATInN'rILBD 1350.4, 190B.

Patented July 20, 1909,

4 SHEETS-SHEET f'. A. NEWBLL. AEROPLANE AIB SHIP. APPLICATION rum) nnc.4,19n8.

Patented July 20, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET /OML P. A. NEWELL. AEROPLANE AIB SHIP.

APPLIOATIOH FILE'D DEO. 4, 1908.

Patented July 20,1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNSSES FRANK NEWELL, OF TERRY, MONTANA.

AEROPLANE AIR-SHI?.

l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application led December 4, 1908. Serial No. 466,93U.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK Amunrr Nidwnm., a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Terry, in the county of Custer, in the State of Montana., have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Aeroplane Air- Ships, of which the following is' aspecication.

vT'he ob'ectof this invention is `to provide an aerop ane air ship having means automatically operative for maintainin its equilibrium and conveniently adjustah e, in case of accident to the machinery, into position to retard and prevent sudden and dangerons desoentsof the ship.

The invention consists in certain improvements ashereinaft-er claimed in the shape of the wings constituting the aeroplane, in the duplex arran ement of suchv wings, in a doubleset o such duplex wings and in means for swiveling one set thereof with reference to the other lset into position for retardinge sudden downward Hight of the ship.

he mventloncomprises other features hereinafter clalmed.

Figure l'ofthe accompanying drawings'v represents a side elevation partly in section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 of nn aeroplane air ship embodying one form of this invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse section thereof on line 2.-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 represents a lonvitudinal section on line 4-4 of Fig.' 2 throng i one of the aeroplane wings near the inner end thereof. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal 4section on line .5-5 of Fig. 2 of such Wingsnear the outer erd thereof. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section on an enlarged scale on line 6--6 of Fi ,1. Fig. 7 represents on an enlarged sca e in side elevation and partly in section the mechanism for turning or swiveling the up er duplex aeroplane. Fig. 8 represents a ttom plan view of said mechanism showin the means for locking the lever and.

control n the positions of said upper aeroplane. "F 9, 10 and 11 represent transversefsectioxis of different forms of hollow ribs for the win s. v

The namel re erence numbers represent corresponding parts in the different figures. A central vertical tubular standard l0 serves as the main siipport to which the different parte of the machine 'are secured. Thisystendard 10 has at its upper end n,

, lower end o ilangc or collar l1 and at its lower end a. iange orcollar l2. The flange 12 is provided with slots 12%` and 14 disposed at right angles to eil' i otherand serving as locking catches as h. einufter described.

A duplex aeroplane is secured to the standard 10 and comprises two similar wings 20 and disposed substantially parallel with and apart from euch other on opposite sides of said standard. Each of these wings is of ogce form in cross section having a downward curvature along its inner portion' and an upward curvature along its outer portion. The downward curve forms a large hook shaped concavity 21 on# the under side of the win which coneavity Vextends throughout the lngthy thereof and is open at' both ends. The upward curve along the outer portion of the wing forms a convexit 22 which also extends throughout the lengt i of the wing. The curvature at the inner Side of the wing includes a return curve which closes that side and prevents the pas sage or escape of air from one side of the duplex aeroplane to the other side thereof. Brace rods 23, disposed at intervals along the length of the wing, connect the hookshaped inner part thereof with the convex outer partthereof, these brace rods bein approximately two-thirds of the width o t e wings. The wing is provided g'ilial and intermediate transyerse stiii'ening ri s ed of nickel steel, aluminum or other suitable mnterial. and they are prefere if made hollow or tuhular as shown in Fi and 11 for lightness, and are p efetbly charged with n Acompressed goseou ilu d to.

low'standerd 10 and extends/fabuve the to way o f itsjtngth wi 1 a fixed collar 41 which`restf; n the fixed collar 11 of said standardks d collar'll servingas a beariing on whh the shaft 40 swivels. 'The the shaft 40 is provided with 'a with mar- 4 Brace rods 27 connect the,

los

thereof. This shaft is provided about mi t the sha lug 42 which projects below the bottom of the tubular standard 1() and a hand lever 45 is pivoted to said lug and adapted tol serve as a means for turning the shaft 40 1n the standard 10. A s ring 46, attached to the lower end of said lhg, servesat its free end as a rest for said lever and holds the latter 1n horizontal position in engagement with the notch 13 or the notch 1t into either of.wh1ch the lever may be adjusted by the operator.

An u per duplex aeroplane 1s secured to iJt 40 above the standard .10. y This aeroplane comprises also two similar wings 50 and 60, also coi'istructed in ogee form transversely, and of a size and character similar to the wings 20 and 30 of the lower aero lane. These wings 50 and 60 are dlspose in closer proxlmity to each.;f other than the wings 20 and 30. Plates 51 and 61, disposed at different heights on the shaft 40, connect the inner bulfring ends of wings 50 and 60 with each other and with said shaft, and brace rods 52 and 02 connect the inner lower edges of said wings with the collar -11 of the shaft 40 as shown in Fig. 2. A car is secured at its top to the lower inner edges of the wings 20 and 30 of the lower duplex aeroplane and the standard 10 rojects downward through the top of sai car as shown in Fig. 2. The car is shown as inclosed but the sheathing thereof may be omitted, and. the car is preferabl 1n the form of an` open skeleton frame. The car is rovided underneath with front trucks 71 and) rear trucks 72, supported in suitable dependent frames, the ront trucks being preferably larger than the rear trucks. .The car is also provided at its front end with a forwardly extended rudder frame 73 and at the rear end with a rearwardly extended rudder frame 74 and also with a further extendedrudder frame 75.

A motor 80, preferably an internal combustion engineis dis osed in the forward part of the car 70 an a seat 85 is disposed 1n the rear art thereof.

A ropel er shaft is disposed longitudinal y on the machine `and journaled in standards 0.1 and 02 secured to the top of the car 70. rl`l1is shaft. is provided at its front end with a propeller 03 and at its rear end with" the pulley 94, the latter being connected with the driving pulley 81 of the motor by means of a belt 82. The propeller is preferably of the form shown in my Pah ent No. 790,800. dated Sept. 10, 1905.

A horizontally pivoted rudder is sup ported in the front frame 73 and a horizontally pivoted rudder is supported in the rear frame 7 5 these rudders being adapted for use in guiding the machine upward and downward. The front rudder 100 is provided on its upper side with a lateral arm 101 and on its underside with a.lateral arm 102 for connection with the pulley cords and with a slot 103 w avoid such cords in its u ward and downward swing. The rear ru 10G and 107 extendin upward and downward for connection o the pulley cords.

A vertically pivoted rud er is supported in the rear frame 75 and serves to guide the machine laterally. This rudder is provided with lateral arms 111 and 112 for connection of the pulley cords or rods.

A horizontal foot lever 115 is ivoted in front of the operators seat 85 an opposite ends thereof are connected by cords 116 and 117 passing through pulleys 76-77 and 7 8-47 S) with the lateral arms 101 and *102 of the front rudder 100. This foot lever is also connected at its opposite ends by rods or cords 118 and 119 with the lateral arms 106 and 107 of the horizontal rudder 105.

A horizontally pivoted foot lever 120 is supported slightly in the rear of the foot lever 115 and connected at its opposite endsby rodsl or'cords 121 and 122 with, the lateral arms 111 and 112 of the rear vertical rudder 110. Under this arrangement of the foot levers, both are easil accessible to the operator. The horizonte rudders are `so f'ront rudder 100 is inclined downward and rearward from its pivotal point as shown in full lines in Fig. l, for upward flight., the rear horizontal rudder 105 is inclined upward and rearward from its ivotal point as shown in full lines in said gure, to aid its upward flight. When the front rudder is inclined upward and rearward as shown in the upper dotted outline in Fig. 1 to in" duce downward flieht of the machine, rear horizontal rudder-e105 is inclined downward as show n in the lower dotted outline in said ligure to. aid in such downward Vuneven-heut. Q,

Each of thenvings of either of the duplex aeroplanes isxapproximartely square in plan view. its inner edge being convex as shown in Fig. 3 and its outer corners being ref-i erably rounded as there shown. h'se wings nlay'bc of any suitable size or propor tions. ln one form -I use them of say s'ixteen feet. in length and of a corresponding breadth so that the duplex aeroplane comprisiug,r the two ings side by iside will cover duplex` aeroplane and a larger span in the lower duplex aeroplane, such wings being farther Aapart than in the upper aeroplane.

AIn the use of this machine the operator will adjust the horizontal rudders sullistan-` tially in the iositions shown inFig. 1 for the start in the upward flight. The motor is then started and the propeller will draw Fig. 1, causing it to travel on its trucks in its initial movement. As its speed increases the horizontal rudders guide i't 'oi the thirty-two feel, more or less, in the upperV der 105 is also provided with lateral arms connected with their foot levers that when the uit.

the machine in the direction of the arrow of .whereby the upper swiveling Vchinery causing the propel ground and it takes its flight in air. The inner curves of the two wings of each aeroplane together with the outer upward curves thereof tendto maintain the machine in u right. position.` 1f the Amachine tips t e pressure of the air against the inner concavity of the wings of the downward tilting side .tends to lift said side and the upward curves of the wings 'at-the opposite side of the machine permit the free esca e of the air from the concave chambers of t e `wings of that` side,.whereby the rassure on that side is relieved, and the mac iiiierights itself, returning to its normal position.

In case an accident haopens to the nialer to stop and the machine to coinn'icnce a sudden descent, the operator swings the lever 45 a cuarte'r turn,

uplex aeroplane is shifted into position at right. angles to the lower duplex aero lane. Then-the outer ends of tht` wings o the up er aeroplane project beyond the sides of t e wings of the lower aeroplane ard act somewhat after the manner of a parachute bo arrest a sudden and dangerous descent of the Inachine. The inachine will then descend slowlv with more or less swaying from side to side. g

I claini as inv invention:

1. A wing fvor an air ship foiriied-along its" inner portion with a longitudinally extended downward curvature and along its outer portion with a longitudinally extended upward curvature, the r embracing a return curve.

2. A wing for an air ship having along its inner portion a downward hook-shaped curvature extended throughout its length and along its outer portion an upward convex curvature.

3A wing for an air ship shaped transversely in ogee forni and having its downward concave curvature along its inner ortion and its upward convex curvature a ong its outer portion, the'concave curvature embracing a return curve which closes the inner side of the wing.

4. A wing for an air ship shaped transversely in ogee iorn'i and having its larger concave curvature along its inner portion and its smaller convex curvature along its outer p'irtion, the inner edge of said wing being slightly bowed.

An aeroplane for an air ship comprising two win 's disposed side by side, each wing being orined along its inner portion with a longitudinally extended downward curvature fori'ning a concave chamber open at both ends and along its outer portion with a longitudinally extended upward curvature, said downward curvature embracing a return curve which closes theinner side of the wing.

ownward curvature 6. An aeroplane for an air ship comprising two wings disposed apart rom each other side .by side, each wing being formed along its in'ner portion with a lon 'tudinally extended downward curvature orining a concave chamber open at both ends and along its outer portion with a longitudinally extended upward curvature, said downward concave curvature embracing a return curve which closes the inner side ot' the wing.

T. The combination of two duplex aeroplanes disposed one above another and each comprising ogee wings disposed side by side, and means for turning one of said aeroplanes relatively to the other.

8. The combination of two duplex aer planes disposed one above another and l,each

comprising ogee wings disposed side by side,

and means for turning and locking oneof said aeroplanes at right angles to the other.

9. A duplex aeroplane comprising two ogee wings disposed side by side, said wings having large downward concave curvatures along their inner portions and smaller upward convex curvatures at the outer portions. said downward concave curvature einbracinfT a return curve which closes the inner side olpthe wing.

10. A du lex aeroplane com rising two ogee wings t isposed arallel wit and apart from each other and aving large downward concave cnrvatures along their inner ortions and upward convex curvatures a ong their outer portions, said downward curva? tures embracing return curves which close the inner sides of the wings, and a pro eller dis osed between the closed inner si e of sai wings.

11. An aeroplane air ship comprising a tubular standard, a duplex aero lane secured to said standard, a vertical sha t swiveled in said standard and projecting above the to) thereof', a duplex aeroplane secured to sai shaft, and means for turning said shaft to change the relative positions of saidaeroplanes. Y

122. A combination in an aeroplane air ship of a tubular standard provided with eateh'es at its lower end disposed at different angles to eaclrotheii an aeroplane secured tosaid standard, a vertical shaft swiveled in said standard `and extending beyond the top provided with a lug projecting thereof and below the liottoin thereof, an aero lane S cured to said shaft; a lever pivote to sai lug and adapted to engage said catches and a spring for holding said lever in locked po- 

